Gas analyzer



INVENTOR.. jB/ze Patented Aug. 17, v

GAS ANALYzER Clyde HI. Phelps, Springfield, Ill., assignor to Weaver Manufacturing Company, Springfield, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 28, 1941, Serial No. 420,849

n 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain features of betterment and renement, both structural and functional, in appliances, incorporating the known thermal-conductivity principles, for testing the composition of gases, such as the exhaust-gases of internal-combustion engines.

Such procedure has been known and practiced Y for some time more or less extensively and has v electric-circuit, one of whichv units is enclosed in a suitable chamber into which the gas to be investigated is introduced in a manner to surround the heated unit, the temperature or the resistance, or both, of the current-heated resistanceelement varying according to the thermal-conductivity of the surrounding gas.

Whentwo such heated resistance-units are incorporated in a suitable circuit, such as a Wheatstone-bridge system, with two arms of the bridge including the heated resistance-units enclosed in suitable chambers whereby the gas to be analysed can be passed through one of the chambers anda standard or comparison gas contained incr passed through the other chamber, a continuousv indication of the relative thermal-conductivity ofthe two gases may be obtained, but in such systems some means must be employed to restrict the flow of gas or actually entrap it to prevent overcooling of the heated resistance, due to the ow of the gas.

Again, as most exhaust-gas and flue-gas streams have a high water-vapo;` content, this, when condensed within either o r both of the above-mentioned chambers and mixed with some gas, may form objectionable conducting or corrosive compounds that'have a destructive action uponvthe resistance-units themselves as well as an effect on the reliability of the readings obtained on the electrical-instrument employed.

The current inventioninvolves a simple and effective method and means for passing the gas sample to be examined through theanalyzingchamber at a slow rate, whereby undue cooling of the resistance-unit due to flow, is of substantially zero eiect, and means are also provided for free ,drainage of any condensed water- :vapor in such a manner that the resistanceunits are in a relatively dry positionand are continually dried due to the heat therein.

The resistance-units are novel in construction and relatively inexpensive to produce and, since they are of a self-contained type, they may be readily removed and replaced in the chambers referred to above without the return of the instrument to the factory for renewal.

To enable those acquainted with, or skilled in, this art to understand this invention, a current preferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated in detail in the accompanying ldrawing forming a part of this specification and to which reference should be had in connection with the following description, and, for simplicity, like reference characters have been employed throughout the several views to indicate the same members. i y

In the views of this drawing:

Figure 1 presents the known Wheatstonebridge circuit in which the appliance is used;

Figure 2 is a verticaly central section through the device;

Figure 3 is an edge view of the same partly in section.

Referring to the views of the drawing, Figure l illustrates the electric-circuit arrangement in which the appliance of this invention is incorporated and which device houses the two resistances R,-| and R-v3, such iigure portraying the usual four resistancesl R, Rf--L R-Z and R.-3, the customary properly-graduated gal-- vanometer G being bridged across the system as shown and the usual Ibattery 9V and adjustable rheostat I0 beingemployed in the relation indicated.

The particular apparatus embodying this invention includes a metal body ll desirably integral throughout and preferably one of high heat- `conductivity, such as aluminum or the like, this body having two, upright, parallel, cylindrical chambers, a. large-diameter and slightly-longer: one I2 and a lesser-caliber and smaller one I3, both open at their upper ends.

By making the member ll of such a type of metal, the walls of its two chambers are at all at substantially the same tem- `al1y to an inlet-pipe-'IS adapted to be j'oined by a hose or comparable connection, for` example, to the exhaust-pipe of the automobile whose gas is to be examined.

al exhaust-port 6 delivering directlyinto the external atmosphere.

Part way up flue I 4 it connects with a side passage I1, the latter having through its lower wall a vertical port I8 communicating with the outer air, and having through its upper wall a port I9, in vertical register with the lower port I8, opening upwardly through `the center of `the bottom wall of chamber I2, thetop surface of such chamber wall converging downwardly conically to such port.

In addition, the inner side-wall of chamber I2 has a port 2| connecting such chamber with the upper .portion of the erect passage or vent Il.

The electrical-resistance unit R-3 is housed in an upright, cylindrical, copper or other electrically-conductive tube 22 in alignment or register with the ports or holes I8, I9, the lower end of such tube being open except-for a narrow, arched bridge across the opening composed of a pair of strips 23, 23 of the tube bent together and soldered together at their ends.

A metal bushing 24 with a concave or conical top surface is snugly and permanently fitted in ows up Ithe passage I5 by reason of its heat nected in the circuit in parallel relation, the main body II, with which they are both in electrical association is supplied with a third terminal 33.-

Assuming that the appliance is inserted in the electric-circuit in the manner shown in Figure 1, the two resistances R-I and R-3 are heated by the electric-current from the battery passing through them in series relation, thus assuring that the-same strength of current flows through both and tends to heat them in the same degree.

As the gas-mixture to be analyzed or tested enters the lower part of the flue or passage Il through the admission-pipe I5, a portion of the mixture is immediately discharged to the atmosphere through the port IB and the remainder rather than by a pressure otherwise produced.

A part o1' such ascending gas enters the lateral passage I1 and a portion of such-gas escapes to the atmosphere through passage I8, the remainder entering the lower end of chamber I6 through the topend of chamber I2 and the opening through such bushing accommodates the upper portion of the tube 22, the latter being iltted internally with an insulation-sleeve having an enlarged, top head which directly overlies and extends outwardly beyond the adjacent end of the tube.

Above such head is an apertured electric-ter- Y minal 26, a hollow or tubular metallic-rivet 21 extending through the holes of such sleeve and terminal and securely binding them together.

The resistance-element R-3 is connected at its lower end tothe bridge 23, 23 across the bottom open end of the tube and is joined at its upper end to the rivet 21 as by attachment to a cap 28 soldered to and closing the passage through therivet.

'Insofar as already described, the resistance R-I is similarly mounted in the smaller chamber I3 in which the tube |22, containing the resistance-wire, more or less snugly ilts in the chamber in contact with its cylindrical wall, but, in this case, no bushing comparable to that designated 24 is used, the top-surface of the body II being formed conically around the tube as shown.

Tube |22 has its individual elements |23, |25, |26, |21, I28, I3I and |32 corresponding to the parts 23, 25, 28, 21, 28, 3| and 32 associated with the tube 22.

Tube 22 accommodating the resistance R3 has a hole or port 29 through its side-wall :lust below the bushing 24, it being understood, as is clearly illustrated,- that the chamber or compartment I2 is of such caliber as to provide an annular space around the tube.

Each of the two resistance-encasing tubes near its top end is ,provided with an external, surrounding, rubber conical-gasket 3| coacting with the companion. conical surface of the bushing 24, or of the main body II, as the case may be, to seal the chambers against theescape of gas.

From what precedes. it is apparent that either resistance-assembly as a whole may be readily,- removed from its chamber, if necessary, and a new like structure slipped into itsplace, and, in

order that such assembly may not be unintentionally displaced, it is demountably held in .position in its chamber by a set-screw 32 which allows its easy removal when desired. In order that the two resistances may be conport I9.

From here the gas flows through two paths in parallel relation, one being up around the tube 22 and out into passage I4 through port 2|, and the other up through the tube and around the resistance-wire and out through port 29 and into passage Il through port 2|, all `of the gas ultimately ilowing out the open top of message I 4 into the outside atmosphere.

Any condensed moisture in the gas in the passage I'I or in the chamber I2 or in the tubeA 22 automatically drains out through port I8 so that it has no detrimental eiect on the resistance-wire 0r on the readings 0f the galvanometer..

Also any liquified moisture in vflue I l is similarly discharged from the device through port I6.

The flow of the gas undergoing test between the resistance-wire R-3 and the tube 22 and intermediate the latter and the wall of the chamber l2 is such thatit produces no undesirable effect in the procedure, in. that the pressure of the waste gas from the internal-combustion engine, for example, is suillciently released through the indicated exhaust-ports of the appliance to accomplish that important result.

Again, the manner oi.' automatically shunting a portion of the gas undergoing examination through the'chamber I2 and tube 22 from the main body of gas ascending in the passage I4 and returning it to such passage in part atleast by the effect of the gas in its ascent in such passage assures such a ilow in the chamber as to avoid any material cooling eect on the resistance-wire due to the gas ow, but, of course, the heat of the gas, as distinguished from the effects of its ow, causes a comparable change in the resistancev o! part 'I'he closed chamber I3 and its tube'are illled with air or a standard or reference gas, and the diii'erent effects of the two gases in the two chambers on their two resistances are shown on the. e galvanometer, which may be so graduated as to ments to result in a corrosive medium; and (c) the ease of replacement of the resistance-assemi blies. y

Although not necessarily essential to the satisfactory and eicient operation of this novel apparatus, the resistance R-I maybe of a metal or other material which has very low change in resistance with modifications in its temperature, whereas the resistance R-3 may becomposed of a metal or'the like having a relatively high coefficient of resistance change with temperature variations. y v

The invention as dened by the appended claims is not necessarily limited and restricted to the precise and exact details of structure shown and described because these are subject to modication without departure from the heart and essence of the invention and without the loss or sacrifice of -any of its material benefits or advantages.

I claim:

1. In an electrical single-resistance assembly for ready insertion in and removal from a chamber of a metallic-body of a gas-analyzer, said chamber having an open cylindrical mouth, the novel combination `of a single round metallictube open at oneend and closed at its opposite end and of a diameter substantially the same as that of said mouth, an electric-terminal at said closed end of, and insulated from, said tube, a single resistance-element of a length equal at least to the major length of said tube and disposed lengthwise in said tube and having one end only thereof in electrical-connection with said tube and having its other end in electricalconnection with said electric-terminal, said tube being adapted to be slid longitudinally throughl said mouth into place in said metallic-body. chamber and in electrical-contact with said body at said mouth and to have its closed end fitting which said closed end of said tube is surrounded by a sealing-gasket, andin which said electricalconnection of said resistance-element with said tube comprises a part of the tube extending as a bridge across the open end of the tube with the resistance-element connected to said bridge.

4. The combination of novel features in an electrical resistance-assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which the closure for said closed end of said tube includes an insulation-sleeve tted in said end of the tube, a hollow-rivet extendedl through the aperture of said sleeve, and means closing the opening through said rivet, the corresponding end of said resistance-element being secured to said rivet-opening closing-means, said terminal being clamped between the'outer'head of said rivet and the outer end of said insulationsleeve.

5. The combination of novel features in an eleetrical-resistance-assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which the closure for said closed end of said tube includes an insulation-sleeve fitted in said end of the tube and has an-externalhead overlapping the end of said tube, a hollowrivet extended through the aperture. of said sleeve and in electrical-connection with said terminal and fastening said terminal to said sleeve-head, means closing the opening through said rivet, and a gasket surrounding the closed en d of said tube, the headof said sleeve also overlapping said gasket, the end of said resistance-element being connected to said rivet-opening closing-means.

6. In a, gas-analyzer having a metallic mainbody provided with vtwo chambers, the rst of which is closed with a reference-gas therein, and the second of which is an upward chamber haying means for the passage therethrough of the gas to be tested, anlelectrical-resistance in'each of said chambers, an electric-circuit including said resistances, and an electrically-actuated indicator in said circuit, the novel combination of features being that said main-body has a main upward flue open at its top to the external atmosphere, a rst gas inlet-port communicating with the lower portion of said flue laterally of the latter, said means for passage of the gas to be tested through said second chamber including a lateral passage connected tothe lower portion of said flue, a second port connecting said lateral passage to the bottom portion of said second chamber to admit gas thereinto and to provide drainage therefrom, a third port connecting an upper portion of said second chamber to said flue above the levelof said lateral passage connection therewith, and a fourth exhaust-port connecting the lower portion of said ue laterally of the latter to the external atmosphere, said first and fourth ports providing .a reduced gasiiow up through said flue by reason of their lateral position and due to the discharge of a portion of the gas to the external atmosphere before the gas reaches said lateral passage.

7. I'he novel combination of features in gasanalyzers Aser; forth in claim e in which said 1aneral passage has a fth downwardly-directed drainage port to the external-atmosphere.

8. The novel features in gas-analyzers set forth in claim 6 in which said lateral passage has a fth downwardly-directed drainage-port in substantial vertical register with said second port so that any liquid in said second chamber will be discharged into the atmosphere.

CLYDE H. PI-IELPS. 

